Machine



PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

No. 749,027. I

J. F. CLARKE.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR 4. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Ha]. Fla. 2.

Witnesses. n ventor;

MW 1M UNITED STATES Patented January 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC WElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,027, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed April 4, 1903. Serial No. 151,138. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FREDERICK CLARKE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Woolwich, in the State of New South Wales, in the Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic VVeighing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic weighing-machines.

This invention consists in novel features and improvements in automatic weighing-machines, and is in the nature of a development or carrying forward of the invention set forth in my application, Serial No. 93,220, dated February 8, 1902.

In practice I found that a sufficient degree of accuracy was not obtained by the use of one swinging cut-0E receptacle, the quantity of material delivered into the scale-pan being subject to variation, owing to the uncertain action of the single cut-ofl receptacle. Ialso found an element of inaccuracy was caused by the manner in which the material to be weighed was delivered into the scale-pan, as in my previous invention no provision was made for defining and controlling the position to be taken up by the material delivered therein.

The object of this invention is to remedy these defects, and for this purpose I construct the feed-hopper in such a manner as to subdivide the delivery into the scale-pan of the material to be weighed into two different channels, each independent of the other. Each of these separate outlets from the feedhopper is controlledthat is to say, opened and shutby independent swinging receptacles or hoppers operated by an extension on each arm of the scale-beam according to the movement of the under-swinging scale-pan. I also so partition the scale-pan as to define the position the material must take up therein.

In'order that my invention may be clearly understood, I shall explain the same by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through feed-hopper and scale-pan. Figs. 4

and 5 are detailviews of the adjustable tilting mechanism.

a a are a pair of standards, between which is pivoted at the pointa the oscillating scalebeam 5, whose position of repose is transverse to the vertical.

0 c are weights adapted to fit on under end of scale-beam b.

d is tilting scale-pan suspended between the arms of the free fork-shaped end of the scale-beam.

d d are suspending-pivots. v

e is pneumatic stop' supported on adjustable bracket e', provided for the purpose of defining the arc of movement of the scalebeam.

fis fixed stop which determines the angle of the scale-beam when in repose.

h is bracket secured to the top of the standards and carrying the feed-hopper Z0.

Z is air-cushion of ordinary construction pivotally attached at one end to the scalebeam and having its piston-rod pivotally attached to the bracket h.

The scale-pan d may be partitioned, as shown in Fig. 3.

d is a cross-partition to the lower edge of which is hinged a flap or door (F.

d is a weight for the purpose of maintaining the flap in position.

d is angular partition, which, with the flap 01 forms the compartment d, in which the material to be weighed is confined.

In the feed-hopper is, Fig. 3, 7c is a partition dividing the feed-aperture into the two channels 00 and y.

k is a sloping floor on which the material from the supply-chute 10 falls.

k and k are respectively the apertures leading to the channels as and y.

k is a strip of canvas, linen, or such like material attached to each side of the partition It, so as toinsure a good joint when the cut-off receptacles m and n come in contact therewith.

The cut-off mechanism consists of a pair of swinging receptacles m and n. m opens and closes at intervals the discharge-channel x, while 97. performs the same function for 12 The receptacle m is pivoted, by means of a pair of stays m and m on each side thereof,

ICO

to a crossspindle m attached to the feedhopper. The stays m are extended upward and carry at their ends adjustable arms m m which are provided with small wheels or rollers The hopper n is similarly stayed and pivoted to each side of the feed-hopper a2 91; and carries adjustable balance-weights n n.

c n are adjustable arms similar in construction to an, attached to each side of the receptacle n.

b b are extensions secured to the forked arms of the scale-beam I). These extensions engage the arms m m and 01 a which are attached to each side of the receptacles m and n, so that when the machine is at rest the said receptacles m and n are held thereby in the position shown in Fig. 1-that is to say, clear of the discharge-apertures in the bottom of the feed-hopper.

p is adjustable tilting mechanism which is attached to the bottom of the scale-pan. This mechanism consists of the adjustable pieces q and 1", which engage each side of the forked scale-beam b and allow the scale-pan a limited oscillatory motion while the exact balance is being formed and the extensions 5 b are breaking contact with the adjustable arms m and a The method of operating my invention is as follows: Assuming that the material to be weighed is rice and that a constant supply is available through the chute a this is now allowed to flow into the feed-hopper k and thence through the apertures k and 70 and channels 00 and y into the scale-pan. When almost the quantity of rice corresponding to the weight 0 has entered the scale-pan, the scale-beam begins to oscillate slightly and the portions of the extensions 1) b engaging the arms m m lose contact therewith and the receptacle m swings into the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, and closes the discharge-aperture of channel a: into the scalepan, but still allows the rice to descend and accumulate in the receptacle m. In the meantime the receptacle has been gradually swinging downward as the scalebeam oscillates, until finally its arm n loses contact with the extension I), when it assumes the position shown in Fig. The scale beam and pan continue to oscillate until they assume the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the rice is tilted into the receiving-hopper. The scale beam and pan now return to their original position, and in their course the extensions b' coming into contact with the arms 1% and n the receptacles m and n are respectivelyswung forward and backward and the discharge-apertures a; and y opened and the flow from the hopper once again received by the scale-pan.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1. In an automatic weighing-machine the combination with a pair of swinging cut-off receptacles, arms connected to said receptacles and rollers on the ends of said arms of a scale-beam and extension on said scale-beam adapted to engage the rollers on said arms and operate said cutoff receptacles, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic weighingmachine a scale-pan having an in wardly-extending angular projection from its rear wall, and a rearwardly-extending angular partition in the forward end of said scale-pan, the lower portion of said partition being hinged to form a door, substantially as described.

Signed at Sydney, in the State ofNew South Wales, this 3d day of February, 1903.

JOSEPH FREDERICK CLARKE.

Witnesses:

T. O. ALLEN, N. S. RATTRAY. 

